Tunnel construction.



PATENTED MAY 12, 1903.

D.L.1|EIOUGH. TUNNEL CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED P313. 7. 1903.

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UNITED STATES Patented May 12, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID L. HOUGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE UNITED ENGINEERING AND CONTRACTING COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF YORK.

TUNNEL CONSTR U C TION.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 727,799, dated May 12, 1903.

Application filed February '7, 1903. i l N 1 1 (N0 modem To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID L. HOUGH, acitizen of the United States, residing in the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and nsefullmprovementsin Tunnel Construction, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

In the construction of tunnels by the shield method, in which the placing of the lining goes on with the advance of the shield, much difficulty is usually experienced in maintaining a reasonably tight joint between the shield and the tunnel-lining for the effectual exclusion of water.

It is the object of this invention to provide simple and efiective means for making the joint between the lining and the shield tight enough to exclude water without interfering with the advance of the shield or with the placing of successive sections of the lining.

In accordance with the invention a U- shaped packing ring is provided, with its members lying against the shield and lining, respectively, and its open mouth toward the rear, so that it shall be pressed against the lining and shield by the pressure from without, means being provided for holding the ring in place and for moving it forward from time to time as required.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter with reference to the" accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure l is a view in longitudinal section, showing portion of a shield and tunnel lining with the packing interposed; and Fig. 2 is a view, partly in transverse section on the plane indicated by the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and partly in elevation.

In the embodimentof the invention shown in the drawings the tunnel-shield, which may be of any preferred form and construction, is represented at a, and the successive sections of tunnel-lining, which also may be of any preferred form and construction, are represented at b. The packing a, which is of a suitable fabric or other sheet material, is folded in U shape with its opposing members or sides lying against the interior of the shield and the exterior of the lining, respectively, and with the open mouth toward the rear, so that the fluid-pressure upon the exterior of the tunnel-lining itself serves to maintain close contact between the members or sides of the packing-ring and the shield and lining. A rod d, bent to conform to the curvature of the tunnel-lining and made in sections, if desired, is placed within the packing at its forward edge and serves to hold the packing in shape and in place. Bolts e may be secured to the ring or rod (1 through the packing, both to secure the ring or rod to the packing and to provide means by which the packing may be held in any position and advanced from time to time, as may be required. The packing is preferably prepared exteriorly, as by dressing with black-lead or other suitable material, so that it may be moved .alongas required without excessive friction and without requiring additional means or devices for reducing the external fluid-pressure upon the sides or the opposing members of the packing.

I claim as my invention l. The combination with a tunnel-shield and a tunnel-lining, of a packing interposed between the shield and lining, and having its opposing members lying against the shield and lining to be held by external fluid-pressure.

2. The combination with a tunnel-shield and a tunnel-lining of a U shaped sheet-packing interposed between the shield and lining and having its opposing members lying against the shield and lining respectively to beheld by external fluid-pressure.

3. The combination with a tunnel-shield and a tunnel-lining, of sheet-packing interposed between the shield and lining, and having its opposing members held against the shield and lining respectively by external the tunnel-lining and engaging the packing 1o fluid-pressure, and means to hold the packing at its forward edge to hold the packing in in place and shape. place and shape.

4. The combination with a tunnelshield This specification signed and witnessed this and a tunnel-lining, of a packing interposed 5th day of February, A. D. 1903.

between the shield and lining, and having its DAVID L. HOUGH. opposing members held against the shield and In presence oflining respectivelyby external fluid-pressure, J. H. DUNSTAN, J r.,

and a rod having a curvature to conform with FREDK. A. GUENTHER. 

